Why Reading More Isn’t the Answer

When was the last time you consumed something?
Probably last hour.

But when was the last time you created something?
. . . ?

Feel that void.
The void between consumption and creation.

It's a gap that many of us overlook.

I had this wrong assumption - reading more would somehow unlock the floodgates of creativity.

And in this long weekend, I dipped myself in reading, jumping from books to books. But the more I read, the more I found myself drowning in a sea of information, losing sight of my passion, motivation and purpose. I was hitting the rock bottom.

I decided to break free from the shackles of excessive consumption. I put the book down and picked up something more fun and playful – the wizard, Ender 3 V2. I started a 3D print of nice laptop stand for her (Zephyrus G15), my white beauty.

Tick-tock, the hours went by, and the printer worked its wonders, layer upon layer. Twenty two hours of long journey. As I stood there, watching the 3D printer bring my laptop stand to life, the reality washed over me. I had been drowning in the act of consumption, endlessly absorbing information without creating something out of it.

The hours spent reading, scrolling, and indulging in content is what left me feeling empty, unfulfilled, and disconnected.

When a creative artist is fatigued it is often from too much inflow, not too much outflow” — Julia Cameron

Here is the reality:

Data overload is real

Every day our consumption diet includes Articles, Emails, Social media, Podcasts and …

Because of that,

None of it sticks. I found myself starting to agree with everything I read, instead of radically questioning it.

It turns out, the amount of information I consume is directly linked to the quality of implementation. After a certain point, there's a diminishing return, and I was investing more time than necessary. No wonder I kept forgetting my initial ideas and let demotivation sneak in.

Time for connection is inevitable

Taking a break from constant content consumption allowed me some downtime to let my ideas marinate and connect with what I already knew. Suddenly, I found myself not just consuming but actively processing.

Inspiration in moderation

I learned that striking a balance between consumption and productivity is a must. A good dose of inspiration from what I consume can light that creative fire, and to hold that fire lit, you need to do some work out of what you consumed.

Fill those blank chunks with your favorites

Reducing my consumption revealed the beauty of empty spaces in my day, ready to be filled with what I truly love.

Find that balance between how much you consume and how much you create. Next time instead of binge watching a course, start with a small project.

Here is what am experimenting:

Consume (X) -> Process -> Create (2X)

Originally shared on LinkedIn